antiques/junking – Page 16

Home from some family fairy fun

antiques/junking, fairies, family, Travel

By Karla Nathan / August 13, 2011

Its soooooo good to be home. But I'm still not caught up. I wish I really was a fairy and could wave my magic wand to make everything get done!

While visiting my sisses in Indy, we had some fairy dress up time together. I probably play dress up with them as much as I do with Sugarwings. There is nothing like having family that never out grows their playfulness!

Although, there is an age range when not everyone finds it as much fun as we do. But the kids indulged us and let their fairy grandma grant them wishes with her wand while I took their picture. A couple of the girls even put on some fairy wings and posed for me too. But look at little Jaythan's face, he is the one sitting in the grass in a white shirt. Poor kid, he must be wondering if Mamaw is going to be taken away and locked up somewhere. He is worried she has snapped!

Yes, I complained about being busy, busy, busy since I got home, but I did take time to edit some of the photos. A person needs to have their priorities straight.

Plus, picnik is a super fast, easy way to edit. While doing a couple of the pictures, I took an extra bit of time to write out the steps on how I did it. I'll be posting a couple of tutorials next week with the step by steps if you are interested.

My trip was just great. Its the first time I drove there by myself in years and I was a bit worried about it, but I had a wonderful time. I was having so much fun talking and singing to myself and planning projects in my mind that I didn't even turn on the audio book that I'd downloaded. Sometimes, 10 hours alone can be quite therapeutic. I think I needed that.

On the way, I shopped a bit, but not much. This has been the year of NO JUNK around here. How sad. I miss my junking trips. We were too busy in Indy to get out much either, we had some Very Important Family stuff to do, so barely shopped, and most of it was not vintage. We did hit one Goodwill, where I found an amazing old, old skirt to take apart for the fabric.

I got home in time for my son and his family to fix us a big anniversary dinner and spend the evening on Tuesday night. Since I knew they were coming, I limited my stops at antique malls on the drive home.

We even got to have Sugarwings stay all night, that was the best welcome home I could get and was worth zipping right on by antique stores along the way to get home in time to see her.

For years, I've been searching for a pretty alarm clock for by my bed. One that didn't need to be wound up. There are plenty of those to be found, but few electric ones. In Columbia, MO I came across this beaut. Also the gorgeous beaded fabric under it. It was originally a dress, but is in shreds, so is great for cutting up to make crap out of.

There were some pretties to add to the Boutique too. And believe it or not, I actually took photos and got them listed. Its has been way too long since I took care of my business. Its not a lot, but its a start.

While I was at it, I grabbed a couple of things that I'd made months ago and never had time to list. There are TWO TUBS of stuff that has piled up, waiting for me to take pictures of and try to sell, and I simply have not gotten to it.

Yesterday, instead of working, we took all 7 of the grand kids and their parents to a water park to celebrate some birthdays, and this weekend, I have Sugarwings. But- I'll be forcing myself to stay on task in the next week, and hope to have more listed between a few other projects I have lined up.

Wish me luck, I plan on spending an hour each day on nothing but the Boutique and Etsy, then making things the rest of the day. Well, except some Sugarwings birthday time. She and I have a date for Smurfs, I think.

When I got back from my trip, Direct TV was out. No TV, no saved DVR programs. I thought about not even getting it fixed until I was caught up on my work, but then I started to shake and experience withdrawal symptoms and had to make the call within minutes of finding out I was TV-less.

Already, I missed out on the finale of Falling Skies and So You Think You Can Dance. But luckily, I saw True Blood at Sissy's house. Ooooh, that is a heartbreak diverted.

Well, instead of complaining about not getting any work done, I'll go do some. Please check in Monday for editing tips if you want to play hooky from work and goof off with picnik like I did!

Oh, and the winner of the dress form online tutorial is:

Sherry

And THANKS so much to all of you who are buying the class! Its just about my only income since I've neglected my store so much. I appreciate your support and I hope you love making the dress forms as much as I do. I'll be adding a Halloween dress form idea to the class, soon (free to those of you who already signed up) as a thanks.

Speaking of Halloween, don't forget, that if you purchased our online tutorial, "Romantic Gothic Ghosts" you can still use that class and all the cool papers we downloaded for you. If you didn't get all of the projects made last year, now is the time to make some for this upcoming spooky season.

Or if you didn't take the classes yet? You can still purchase it. There are tons of patterns, how-tos, ideas, decorating, and goodies for you there. All in a low-color romantic style.

You can see some of it here Just scroll down, the Romantic White Christmas class is at the top, the Halloween one is below.

Flea bitten

antiques/junking

By Karla Nathan / May 13, 2011

Tomorrow, I'm having Beth and a couple other friends over for a craft day. Thinking about that, made me realize that I never posted any photos of the last day that we got to hang out together, which was at our favorite flea, Sparks and White Cloud.

We go every Spring and Fall, and have for years. No matter how many times I go, I never get over the oddness of the towns. Is there anything there when the flea mkt is not set up? I see a few houses in Sparks and even more in White Cloud, but it still has that air of abandonment.

This old place makes me think of Kansas back in the days of the wild West. I always want to go in and order a sasperilla, except saspirilla tastes nasty when its fresh anyway, I'd hate to sip a 150 year old glass of the stuff and it looks like its been that long since this business was open.

Some of the old structures are used for store fronts for the weekend, the rest just sit empty. To me, there is an over all ghostly feel to the towns.

This window has looked like this for years. I don't know if the previous shopkeeper was trying to send a message with this array, or if he just walked away and this inventory happened to be left over.

Could he be asking Jesus to raise his business from the dead?

I know that people do live in White Cloud, because of the pets that are roaming the streets. This is Fred, the 3 legged dog.

Maybe he is 3 legged because he lives in a town with no leash laws and he loves running in the streets?

These towns are lovable to me because of all their oddities, but its really the junk that I go for. The dealers have great prices and stuff that I love.

You never know what you'll find there. Or what new friends you'll meet.

Hmm, I think Elsie the cow is checking out my rack.

Its always a party! Where else can you find a cool, $1, faded, pink lampshade and feel perfectly comfortable wearing it on your head?

I heard someone saying that this flea has made it to the top of some list about the best bargain flea mkt in the country. I don't know where the list was or who made it though. Could just be some old coots talking around the funnel cake stand making up lists. But I do think that the prices are durn good there and I'm always happy with my finds.

Especially what I get on the dollar tables. There was one dollar table that I spent over 50 bucks at.

Even if I don't buy a ton of stuff, I'm kept entertained all day by the ambiance of the place.

By the way, just a reminder that I'm having a sale in the Boutique and on Etsy- FREE shipping on all millinery for the month of May!

Also, I'm missing all the commotion and excitement of Birdsong and was wondering if a swap would cheer me up… anyone interested in a Birdsong Tag Book Swap?

What’s in the cabinet?

antiques/junking

By Karla Nathan / April 15, 2011

Thanks for your kind words about my redo that I showed last week. I had some people asking for close ups of what was in the cabinets and asking about the cabinets themselves.

They are a set of old gun cabinets, that were really plain. When we remodelled the bathroom by stealing space from an unused bedroom (we used the rest of the bedroom to make our closet larger and add a laundry room to it), were- sized the bathroom to fit this piece (actually, its 4 pieces) and added trim to make it look built in.

Technically, I do think that it is built in, now, huh?

I dry brushed 3 shades of white over it, after adding the trim pieces and covered the back with sheet music.

The shelves are filled with things I like. Vintage fairy pictures (the oval one was $2 at my favorite flea mkt), dried hydrangeas, shells, bottles, and other tidbits from my life.

As I arranged my things, I thought of each window as a frame and the things I sat on the shelf as a composition in the frame.

But by using similar colors and themes throughout, I hope that all the displays look cohesive.

I also used lots of lidded glass pieces as storage for bathroom type items, Q-Tips, mini tissue packs, cotton, etc.

Then, some of it makes no sense at all. Just things that I liked all piled onto a plate.

Hello Dollies!

antiques/junking, bird song art event, celebrations, parties, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / April 7, 2011

On Saturday, we had a create-a-thon in the studio.

They helped me work out kinks in my upcoming class for Paper Cowgirls.

Pictured are the creations of:

Me * Suzanne * Andrea * Jenn * Heather * Lori

For my dressform, I wanted to experiment with wallpaper instead of text. It was a little harder to do (stiffer paper) but I like how it turned out. I also kept mine simple, using only things that will be given to the students in the kits.

Its very frustrating to take a class and find that the teacher's example can't be made with what she gives you, isn't it?

While I was in the grips of decopauge fever, I covered this little bird too. It was just a white bird from the craft store, and Agnes Rosebud had eaten its head half off, so I did a bit of a redo on the poor little guy.

A room full of pros is a wonderful thing when you are figuring out ideas. And with this bunch, I wasn't exactly "teaching" them, it was more like all of us working on the same thing at the same time. I just gave them a few directions and they took off.

Those ladies gave me as many ideas as I gave them. I find that is true of any artful gathering. You get as much info from your tablemates as from any instructor.

Lori showed us how to make some wax paper flowers that were recently featured in Somerset Life. See how different they all turned out too?

The flowers are in a "vase" that I bought at Bottom's Up for $10. Its just some salvage bit of part of something else, but that is one of my favorite kinds of purchases. I'll use it a lot.

Beth spent the day working on the covers for her journal swap for Bird Song, but did get to make a flower too.

She got quite a few covers done, and no two were alike.

The group not only gave me good tips for my Paper Cowgirls class, they had lots of good ideas for the seating and studio arrangement for Bird Song.

I'd kind of oversold the event and was trying to figure out how to seat everyone. Suzanne had a wonderful idea and I've already rearanged the furniture as she suggested. I did that as soon as I got back from taking them to the airport.

Since I had more requests even after the class was overstuffed, I talked to the teachers, Carol, Lisa, and Debbie, and all of them agreed to give up their seats to students. So, now, I've gone from too full, to having a couple extra spaces.

Interested? Please let me know.

Now my studio seems lonely after having such a fun bunch here. I've packed up and mailed the last batch of purchases too big to fit in my guest's suitcases, and got those in the mail. Can you guess whose box this is? Yep, Jenn Hayslip, bunny queen. She scored big time on the bunny front while here. (by the way, she has spaces available for her romantic, prairie fairy tale if you'd like to get away on an arty adventure. We'll all be there too!)

And I was thrilled that everyone shopped my studio too. It was nice of them, and I know it is never easy to randomly shop around with stuff not priced. It was sweet that they made the effort.

Friends from far away coming to stay

antiques/junking, celebrations, Food and Drink, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / April 5, 2011

A quick note- due to some shuffling, I have extra spaces available for Bird Song. If you'd like to sign up, please contact me.

We had the best time over the weekend! What a great group of friends, I was honored that they would travel so far just to come and hang out in Kansas.

Pictured is:

* Heather * Suzanne * Lori * me * Jenn * Andrea *

On Thursday, we just hung out, chatted and got caught up on each others happenings. Then on Friday, we took off to KC to go to Bottom's Up and some other sales, then over to visit Carol. I foofed up bags for each of us, and filled them with bottled water, treats, gum, and lip gloss so we'd be set for the day's adventures.

We all piled in the borrowed van (from Sugarwing's Daddy) and then just sat there. Apparently, the key comes out of the ignition when the car is still set on "auxiliary" and I left it on all night draining the battery.

So, after unsuccessfully hunting in every nook and cranny for our jumper cables, my son, Ryan, volunteered to run to the store to pick up another set. He soon had the van jumped and running so we could hit the road.

Bottoms Up is once a month and located is the West Bottoms district in KC, MO. (someone walking by us said we looked glamorous!! Now that is something I don't hear very often about myself. And from my pigeon toed stance in this photo, I don't think I'll be hearing much in the future either)

There are several shops with monthly sales in this old warehouse area, and its pretty cool to see.

And to shop at!

Gwen of French By Design has some very drool worthy goods. The vendors range from ultra classy and elegant to fun junk. So there is something for everyone. I know we found plenty.

Did you know that Victorian Trading Co. is based in KC? After hitting Beth's booth at Mission Road Antique mall, we went next door to shop at the outlet store for this catalog shop. There are only two brick and mortar stores for this company and both are right here in Kansas City.

The clothes there are so durn gorgeous. The girls were buying some perfect outfits for Jenn's romantic event in NC this fall. I tried on quite a few, then decided that I was 10 years and 10 lbs off to fit into the dresses right. Not to mention that I am too short. But I loved looking at them and seeing what everyone else picked out.

Then, I bought a shower curtain. (photos later, I'm dying it, and repainting my bathroom to match it)

Carol had us over for dinner, and if you think her home looks like it was right out of a book, you are right. She's in Romantic Prairie Style (and oooooooohhhhh, what a pretty book!)

Carol is not only a talented photographer and decorator, she is a hostess with a huge heart.

And a good cook!

Every single detail, every where you looked, her house is perfect. Just perfect. I feel like I am in the pages of a decorating book when I am there.

So, I was really touched to see something I made for her out on display.

She served some local made honey flavored wine over dinner, and it was a good thing I was driving, or I'd have drank way too much of it. I could go Winnie the Pooh all over this honey nectar! Man, it was good.

Carol just had this fire place built in her backyard. It was a lovely evening to curl up by the fire and tell ghost stories. Even though the others didn't like ghost stories much. We quickly moved on to more fun stories and had a lot of laughs. If you've ever spent an evening with Carol, you know there will be lots of laughter.

Here is the back of her home, near the fireplace.

This is the tree that Carol is teaching for Bird Song. Pretty, huh?

I'll have more photos later of our studio day. After that day with all the creative types in my studio, I am even more pumped about Bird Song. I can't wait to fill the room back up with arty friends and see them in action!

My first garage sale of the season and its a DOOZY

antiques/junking

By Karla Nathan / April 3, 2011

The most magical of all the seasons is soon upon us- garage sale time! Around here, its been chilly and not quite full into the season yet, but last weekend, on a whim, I glanced at the ads about 10am Saturday morning. No good garage saler waits till late Saturday to make their plans for the hunt, but I hadn't thought about going out. I didn't realize there would be any up and running to beckon me.

Plus, I thought it was Friday.

But no, it was Saturday and by the time I saw the ad that read "all vintage clothing, hats, jewelry, and shoes" I was at the very tail end of the best sale I've ever seen in my life.

Yep, this is my haul from the dregs of the sale!!!!!!

15 floral hats at $5 each. And I hear that I missed out on a lot that sold the day before. Along with bags of old jewels, but hey, I don't cry over what I missed. I'm thrilled to have got this load of treasure.

The clothes were amazing too. I bought this cinamon colored lace dress for $10. I think I'll cut it off to wear as a jacket over a tee shirt, right now it is floor length. Which is pretty, but I doubt if I'd ever wear it as a dress. I can see it getting a lot of use as a lacey jacket with jeans, though.

And I just can't wait to slip this over Sugarwing's head! Won't she be an angel in this gown?

It has such pretty details for her to smear mud, paint, ketchup and chocolate on before she tears it.

Hmm, maybe I won't add this to her dress up closet, I'll save it for "special".

Yay Carol!!!!!!!!!

antiques/junking, Books, give away

By Karla Nathan / March 26, 2011

Have you ordered yours yet??? This is going to be the prettiest book, wow, I can't wait. you can get it early through Amazon, right here. I ordered mine today!

My beautiful friend, Carol's beautiful home is in the book, along with lots of our favorite bloggers. I went to visit Carol during the shooting and finally got to meet Fifi. She and I had worked together before, but I'd mostly dealt with her by email and a couple times over the phone.

Next weekend, while I have a houseful of arty, bloggy friends, we'll be headed to visit Carol, and ooh and awe over her home in person. She's invited us for wine and pizza after we do some shopping in KC.

And great shopping is in store! Its Bottom's Up weekend, and I can't imagine a more interesting place to bring out of town friends.

Maybe we'll see you there?

Ready for a prize? I know I was supposed to bring you back something from the Long Beach Flea mkt while I was in Cali. But since I ran with the Bad Girl Crowd, I didn't make it there, we played hooky and hung out elsewhere.

After unpacking, I realized I didn't buy a suitable souvenir for a blog prize. So, here is your memento of the event, one of my projects.

I'll leave sign ups open for a bit longer, please leave a comment if you are interested. All comments between March 16 and the 31st will count.

Registration is open for Paper Cowgirls!

antiques/junking, bird song art event, how-to projects, magazine pictures or articles, Tutorials, vintage paper/collage art, Workshops

By Karla Nathan / February 23, 2011

Paper Cowgirls is open for registration!

I've already signed up to take a couple classes and am really looking forward to the event. Over the last couple years, I have heard so many good things about it and have wanted to get down to Texas to give it a try.

And I am thrilled to be one of the teachers this year. Well, that is IF ten people sign up for my class…. If ten don't sign up, it gets cancelled.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

Personally, its a class that I would sign up for, if it wasn't my class, I mean. I really like the piece we'll be creating. I spend lots of time working on the prototypes and figuring out the steps on how to make these mini dress forms.

An idea can be the easy part. Making it work isn't always as easy! It took me a while to fine tune the process and get it down good enough to show others how to do it. I had a practice class with some friends before I submitted the project to Paper Cowgirls. And I'll do a couple more practice classes with two other groups of friends before I head to Texas to actually get paid for showing people how to make them.

As I've visited my favorite antique stores, I've been keeping my eye out for great pieces to add to my kits. Last week, I came across a few bags full of these insulators. Won't they make cool toppers for these dress forms?

Here's another pile of toppers I've assembled. My plan is to have a wide variety for the students to chose from, so that all the end products are unique.

When I go to a class, I always take my extras. And usually from the Bestie pile I've been talking about lately. Because I like my own piece of art to look like MY OWN piece of art, not just like the teacher's.

Oh, I get a lot from the classes and enjoy and use the kits. And I seem to learn a lot from everyone sitting at the table with me. But- I do like my creation to look like I was the one creating it, so I bring supplemental goodies to add to the kit the teacher provided.

So, for Paper Cowgirls, just like I am with Bird Song, I am giving the students the opportunity to make their own choices. There will be kits of course, and they will be filled with lots of vintagey goodness. And since most of the stuff is vintage, not all will be just the same in each kit.

For some of the supplies, I want to have piles on the tables for everyone to pick through.

I'd rather they didn't have to bring their own unique things unless they really want to. I'd like to provide enough to make sure that while we all follow the same steps and instructions, everyone has the chance to veer off the beaten path a bit and art the piece up in the way that calls out to them.

And with all my classes, the students will be Using the Good Stuff! Look at these great laces I bought yesterday from Beth. She gave me a deal so wonderful that I can afford to treat all the students to nice, old lace.

We spent the day together, she let me help her redo her antique mall booth, and I'll have some photos of that for the next post. And she bought me lunch, then hauled me to Costco so I could mooch off of her membership and buy plates/cups/etc for Bird Song and for another gathering I have coming up.

Over all, this has been a great week. Well besides the awful cold that settled into a sinus infection. But now, I have myself heavily medicated for that and the pounding in my sinuses is just about gone. I had Sugarwings a few nights, which makes any week wonderful. Even though, at my age with a sinus infection, chasing a 4 year old and getting up with her in the middle of the night isn't as easy to do as it used to be. Its worth it.

Besides lots of Fairy Grand Baby time, and getting to spend a day with Beth to play decorator in her booth, and signing up for classes at Paper Cowgirls, I also got this copy of Somerset Apprentice in the mail.

I've never been in it before, and honestly had never seen it, I wonder if it is new? But it is GOOD. I read the whole thing cover to cover while I was in the Dr.'s office waiting room and was impressed with the photos and the layout, not to mention the directions.

The whole magazine is step-by-step directions from many artists. It was well done, easy to read and follow. I got some good tips from it! And it made an unpleasant visit to the Dr. go much better.

Hey, thanks for all the comments and emails about Using the Good Stuff. I think the subject was close to the hoader's heart in all of us!

Retail therapy

antiques/junking, bird song art event, collections

By Karla Nathan / February 17, 2011

Thanks for all your well wishes, Sugarwing's arm is just fine and my cold is fading. I woke up this morning trying to figure out what was different, then realized that I was breathing through my nose again! What a wonderful feeling.

I had a day of shopping therapy, I think I owe my recovery to that. I followed a spur of the moment whim and took myself to the Rusty Chandelier and Jesse James in St. Joe, MO and found a lot of little treats, mostly for upcoming classes.

But this OLD lace jacket was a splurge just for me. Its not practical, and will probably shred and fall apart as I wear it, but I convinced myself it was worth it. And I think I was right. It was only $22, and after it falls to pieces, I can always salvage it for art supplies.

And look at these little velvet posies! I love old flowered hats, (I might have mentioned that a couple times here and there) but I love VELVET flowers best of all. Especially the teeny ones like these. I do tend to spend extra when I find flowers this great. This hat was a bit over the budget line for what I usually allow myself to spend on flowers, but these were such wonderful flowers!

And there are lots on here. So, for $20, I think I'll get my money's worth out of it.

And since I got a couple of other hats for much cheaper, I figure it all averages out.

The cabinet that I keep my hats in is overflowing at this point, but the levels do go down. So, I never turn down hats when I see them at good prices. Once I get my boutique re-opened, I'll list packages of flowers for sale. And I use them. By the handful.

I live by the credo, "Use the good stuff!" Because why put all of your artistic effort into making something and using half ass goods in the project? I believe that a good piece of work deserves good supplies going in to it.

Or am I justifying an obsession? Maybe I buy too many hats…

Nah.

My pal, Lisa, made a joke on her blog about the guests at Bird Song guessing how many hats I own to try to win a prize. Actually, I think it would be a good idea to do.

After a day in the studio, I'll have all the students guess how many hats are in the room, and give one of the hats as a prize to whoever is closest. It will be like that game where you guess how many beans are in a jar. (which I am usually really good at, I've won that game more than once when I enter a contest)

When I got back from shopping, a package was waiting for me! From Kay Ellen Hammer. Her mother invented this great double tape, and they sent 25 rolls of it to give away at Bird Song too. Our goodie bags will each have a pack in them! Thanks Kay Ellen and Jodee!!

While in St. Joe, I also found a stack of old pamphlets from the government for farmers. They were published in the 30s and dealt with everything from how to grow strawberries to how to treat TB at home. I bought about 40, non-disease ones.

And I am stocking up on vintage ribbon for the classes I'll be teaching this year. I believe that my students deserve to use the good stuff too!

By the way, we have a few spots left for the May Day weekend event at my house. I'd love to see you there. Meeting blog friends is always a treat. If you are interested, email me for an invoice. Details can be found HERE.

EDIT- One spot left!

I'm going to be adding a link for all the Bird Song attendess who have blogs, onto my links page "pretty places". Today, I cleaned it up a bit and made it look spiffier and easier to read.

Links are how we all get to know each other in blogworld, and I am always happy to share. If you'd like to exchange links with me, please let me know and I'd love to add you to my page.

How to join us at Bird Song- Hope to see you there!

antiques/junking, bird song art event

By Karla Nathan / February 5, 2011

Well, I think I've got the Bird Song site ready for sign ups! No photos yet of Debbie's project, but a very nice description. And if you know anything about Debbie, you have to know she'll do something excellent. She is so talented and has such a discerning eye for beauty.

If you would like to sign up to attend the classes at my home on April 30th and May 1st, please email me at karlanathan@sbcglobal.net after 8 am Central time Monday, Feb.7 and I will send you a pay pal invoice for $250.

We have space for 20 guests. I'll answer the emails in the order they come in.

More info here:

http://karlascottage.typepad.com/bird_song/

Above is a bit of my kits, just a small part of it. The NEST banners are meant to have options and can be made low-color or with touches of robin's egg. There will be quite a few options for the banner, so everyone can end up with an unique creation.

Have you seen Carol's NEW blog? She is doing two blogs now, so we get double the Carol goodness.

And I am honored to have her teaching at Bird Song! She'll be showing us how to do this fringed tree.

And Lisa will teach this woven piece made with old lace and natural elements. I met Lisa online through our blogs and could tell she and I were meant to be buds. She'll be quite the addition to the weekend, and I'm trying to convince her to stay longer, because she is a blast to hang out with. I love to have a few days in the studio with her just to play with papers.

Hosting this weekend is kind of a selfish thing for me. I'm so looking forward to seeing those of you who can make it here, to spend time in the studio with me and with this great group of teachers that I am gosh durn lucky to have as friends.

Gosh durn? Well today, I beat cabin fever by getting out of the house with a good group of friends and doing some retail therapy. And in the car, we had a cuss word talk. Gol Dang and Gosh durn came up, as well as Jiminy Christmas. One friend said she always knew her Dad was about to explode if he invoked Jiminy.

My bad habit? Freakin. And Durn. I'm a big Durn-er. Oh, and crap. Do you have a favorite faux swear word?

We were shopping at Bottoms Up, the once a month spectacular headed by my Bella buddy, Gwen of French by Design. My huge purchase wasn't old, even though the place is filled with the best antiques to be found in KC.

I got a giant bag of rhinestone bracelets for 20 bucks. These sparklers will be fantastic art supplies. I've already added a bundle of the neutral colored ones to my Bird Song banner supplies.

They are just perfect for the S in NEST!

I bought 60 plus packages of these bracelets, and each package had 2-3 in the bag. I'll share. Leave a comment on this post and I'll give a few away. They are fun to wear, or to cut in half and glue onto a project.

PS- how embarrassing, my last post was full of typos and odd sentences, if you read it on Google Reader. I hit publish instead of preview and once you do that, corrections don't show up on googlereader. It was a bit of a jumble.